What to feed your kids for breakfast — even if they’re fussy eaters

Cereal

Wholegrain cereals have got to be the best thing to happen to time-poor parents.

A bowl of flakes, muesli or wheat biscuits, a splash of milk or yoghurt and some fruit on top and you've got a fabulous option to get your kids going, says accredited practising dietitian Kate Di Prima.

"They have fibre and iron and are served with a calcium-rich dairy food, which offers good protein and some calcium-rich minerals for their bones and teeth," Di Prima, who is a spokesperson for the Dietitian's Association of Australia, tells Coach.

Of course, not all cereals are created equal and Di Prima says you want to avoid giving your little ones sugary, highly refined options.

"It's good to expose your little one to veggies or salads at every meal," she says.

"But two to three-year-olds only need one-and-a-half serves a day so it doesn't have to be a lot. If you're giving them eggs, maybe put a little cherry tomato cut in half or a few little mushrooms or a little bit of baby spinach. It will get them used to seeing the bright colours and combinations of foods."

Smoothies

Smoothies can be a great option for fussy eaters.

"Children may not like fruit or yoghurt or plain milk, but if you blend it altogether with a bit of vanilla extract they'll probably like it," she says.

"It's something you can give them to throw down as they are putting their shoes on."

Morning tea

Many teens want to skip breakfast in favour of longer sleep-ins and Di Prima says there's no need to fret about their nutrition.

"They may not feel hungry when they first wake up so you could swap breakfast and morning tea around," she says.

"So at 7am they might just have a bit of chopped orange or some yoghurt with a couple of nuts. Then you could give them an egg wrap in some foil that only has to last in their lunchbox until 10.30am when they're ready for a decent meal."

Di Prima says it's ideal if teens don't skip breakfast altogether.

"If you have some slow-release glucose, it goes into your brain and you function a lot better," she says.

"A weak coffee is another option for teenagers if they like coffee because that will give them the calcium-rich dairy with some slow-release carbohydrate."

Bolognaise — or whatever you've got left over

If none of the above gets your child excited, there's no reason you couldn't serve their favourite leftovers for breakfast.

"If they like bolognaise, they could have it on toast," Di Prima points out.

"In Asia they have congee porridge or curry and Middle Eastern people have beans and tomatoes. Some kids like tuna and crackers for breakfast. So don't be limited by your own taste."